Walk in Love

The New King James Version Chapter 5

Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.

3 But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; 4 neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. 5 For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not be partakers with them.

1. Therefore be imitators of God as dear children.

Imitation = one who does what others do.

Be a copy cat of God as dear children. Tonight my daughter was copying the actions of her mother and my boys were copying my actions. It was funny to watch, but as dear children, they were copying their parents. So ought we to copy the actions and words of Jesus Christ.

The Bible refers to us as the children of God. Jesus refers to God as His heavenly Father. We refer to Jesus as God the Son.

Here are some verses that speak towards us imitating God.

(NKJV) “36 Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.”

(NKJV) “32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.”

2. 2 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.

Walk. The Christian life is a walk. Not a sprint, not a rest, but a walk.

One of the problems with the early church is they sprinted believing Jesus was going to return at any moment. They sold all their possessions and gave to the poor, but then they found out that they had run out of money and Jesus had not yet returned. So Paul had to raise money so that these early churches members could survive.

Jesus points out the following,

(NKJV) “12 “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.”

So the lesson we learn is to live with a sense of urgency that Jesus is coming quickly, but be prepared to walk a marathon. In other words, be live for Jesus today and be prepared for a long term relationship with Jesus on this earth.

Walk AS Jesus also loved us and has given Himself for us.

Imitation again. Walk in love as Jesus walked in love.

Love not defined by emotion, but rather defined by example.

(NKJV) “1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing. 4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. 11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. 13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”

Love is not the gooey emotion that Disney portrays, but rather true love is expressed by what it costs you to show your favor towards another person.

In fact, the Bible says, (NKJV) “13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”

(NKJV) “16 By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.”

The ultimate sacrifice is the ultimate expression of love. Jesus paid the ultimate price showing us the ultimate expression of love for us! Now, we may not be required to lay down our lives for those we love, but true love will demonstrate itself through sacrifice whether time, money or whatever other ways sacrifice can be demonstrated.

Jonathan showed how much he loved David as his friend.

(NKJV) “1 Now when he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. 2 Saul took him that day, and would not let him go home to his father’s house anymore. 3 Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. 4 And Jonathan took off the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his armor, even to his sword and his bow and his belt.”

Furthermore, we see Jonathan willing to give up the throne because he loves Jonathan as his friend.

(NKJV) “16 Then Jonathan, Saul’s son, arose and went to David in the woods and strengthened his hand in God. 17 And he said to him, “Do not fear, for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you. You shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you. Even my father Saul knows that.””

Jonathan showed true love in not only did he hand David his royal garments, but that he also offered David the throne knowing God had called David to be king.

3. an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.

When you demonstrate sacrificial love, you are a sweet-smelling aroma to God. It is like someone cooking bbq in your neighborhood. As you walk past, it smells delicious.

(NKJV) “18 And you shall burn the whole ram on the altar. It is a burnt offering to the Lord; it is a sweet aroma, an offering made by fire to the Lord.”

(NKJV) “14 Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.”

Fornication and sinful living is in contrast to the sacrificial love Jesus expressed for they all rooted in selfish desire.

(NKJV) “19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.”

Instead of loving sacrificially, they love selfishly.